advise please

Registered User

can any one please tell me what to expect tomorrow, my step mum has her first assesment at the hospital, my dad has asked me to go with them, on the letter it says for assessment only, will we just be sitting talking?
I did send a letter to the consultant explaining some of the thing that have been happening.
thanks for your help

Registered User

My first time replying to anyone but you sound so worried wonder if I can help. Couple of weeks go went to first hospital appt with my mum but she had already been seen at home by the memory assessment team. Has your stepmum seen anyone previously? Let me know then can tell you what happened when we went for the appointment.

Registered User

She has only seen her GP who referred her to the hospital, plus we have a socail worker.
I just would like to know as then I can suport my dad more as he gets worked up about what is going to happen
thanks for your help

Registered User

thanks I wondered if we would be able to talk to them, I know Edna will kick of and say she can't think while we are there as she did at the doc's. we did bring it up today that she needs to go her reply was a funny face we took no notice, tomorrow I am putting a copy of the letter from the hospital about the appointment through the letter box as I go past to make out they have sent it, just to prove to her she has a appointment. we have to be so crafty with her.
I have waited for this appointment but now its here I am nervous about it.
I will let you know how we go on.

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Dear Heartbroken
I hope all goes well tomorrow. I remember seeing Dads consultant in the early days. I had so many questions. I wrote them down(on the advice of nursing staff) and got my list out during the consultation.I knew it would be an emmtional experience and I might not be able to keep focused I also compiled some of the list while speaking with Dad before hand even though he was so poorly. I was also able to have time with the consultant alone to discuss things, but this may not be usually allowed, just ask a senior nurse if there is anything you would like to discuss without Edna in earshot. Theres no harm in asking .
take care
hendy

Registered User

Maybe different areas follow different formats? My mum was originally seen (well we made the appt and took her!)by her Gp last December. The GP did a mini mental test exam which was just a basic assessment of her ability to remember dates, who is the prime minister etc. The GP then referred her on to the Memory Assessment Team at her local hospital who arranged for an occupational therapist and psychiatrict nurse to visit her at home. We were present and whilst one did a more in-depth assessment of her cognitive abilities through more questioning/memorising/simple puzzles etc,the other talked to my husband and I to get a full history.

About 3 weeks later Mum had a CT scan to rule out any other causes and then her first appointment with the Consultant early this month. We went with her and she saw the Consultant alone for a few minutes then he asked my husband and I to join them. He discussed Mums diagnosis and his recommendation to start Aricept. I had loads of questions and apologised for taking up so much time but he said it was fine, he had allowed an hour for our appointment which I thought was excellent.

Mum is to be visited at home by the community psychiatric nurse (CPN)next week to see how she is coping with the new medication and has a follow up with the Consultant in 3 months. Hope this helps!

Only thing I had to push for was the CT scan, but if you read the NICE guidelines on Alzheimers you will see MRI or CT is recommended to rule out other problems that can cause dementia.

Why not write down things you want to ask tomorrow and take a pen and paper to make notes during the consultation? Really helps afterwards. Good luck, let me know how it goes.

Registered User

thanks everyone for your help.
I have sat tonight and made a list of questions I want to ask and I will ask dad tomorrow if he has any before we go. the gp did say she would have a ct scan and have some tests but I think that will be another time, it has been said they might admit her for a full assesment but that will not go down very well with her. she was in a good mood today and was happy for me to be with her, she was happy with me but attacked dad each time he came in the room.
we will just have to wait and see what happens.

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Registered User

today went quite well.
I copied the letter for the appointment and put it in a envelope through dads letterbox for edna to find, she found it and opened it in front of me, read it out and asked what it was about I explained it was a follow up from when she went to the doc's which she accepted very well, after she had read the letter about 10 times she got very stressed and shouted at dad and told him to go away, he went in the garden, she burst into tears and said she was frightened, I gave her a cuddle and told her I would go with her and make sure she was alright we chatted about what was going to happen. the rest of the morning she keep asking what time her appointment was every 5mins, we was amazed she remembered she had to go. when it was time to go I went to get in the car she shouted at me why are you coming to which I said to help you so dad doesn't go in with you and we can be girls together she was happy at that.
the doc called her in and asked for us all to go in, he asked Edna some questions which she could not reply, in her mind it was july 1926 today and she couldn't tell him she was at the hospital. after a few questions she was getting worked up, so I was asked to take her out and they could talk to dad, 40mins later we was asked to go back in Edna was surprised to see dad there she had forgot he was there. the doc then started to ask me lots of questions then Edna again, he is now sending a cpn to see her at home, I asked when it will be within the next 2/3 weeks. all in all things went well. Edna keeps asking me if she had passed the test and does she have to go again I told her I don't know a nurse will come and tell us in a few weeks she was happy at that, as I left she was getting very nasty I told dad she was tired and hungry so he was going to do tea and then hopefully she would have a nap.
thanks everybody for your support, I am so relived today went well
sorry for the long post

Registered User

the hospital called today the cpn is coming out on thursday at 10am, can anyone advise me on what will happen? sorry I'm a born worrier.
will we just sit and talk or will they as her to do tasks to see what she can do.
thanks for your help

Registered User

Our CPN just sits and talks to my mum. While hes doing this he obviously assess her and her needs.
The CPN will probably need to talk to you as well, usually out of earshot of the patient. Its all very relaxed.

Registered User

thanks I thought that might be it the only prob will be to talk while she is not around as she is paronoid that people are talking about her, we have found though when she says are you taking about me we say yes she shuts up but if we say no she doent belive us and goes of on one, so we say yes even if we aren't.